This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Farooq Rafi Sahib's book Qurbani, Aqiqa, and Ashra Zil-Hijjah.
It is permissible to pay the salaries of preachers and teachers from the skins of sacrificial animals and to arrange food and other necessities for poor and needy students. Regarding this, the fatwa of Hafiz Abdullah Muhaddith Rupadi, may Allah have mercy on him, is presented here verbatim for the readers:
Question: Does the Anjuman Islamia have the Shariah permission to spend the skins of sacrificial animals on the salary of the madrasa teacher due to poverty, or on books and food for poor and needy students, or on gatherings of scholars? And can the skins of sacrificial animals be given to preachers as a gift?
Answer: ﴿لِلْفُقَرَاءِ الَّذِينَ أُحْصِرُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ ضَرْبًا﴾
"(Charity) is for the poor who are restricted in the cause of Allah, unable to travel in the land."
Reference: Surah Al-Baqarah: 273
Before this verse, charity is mentioned, then it is stated that this charity is for those poor who are confined in the way of Allah, unable to travel in the land, meaning they cannot engage in trade, etc., because traveling stops the work of religion. In the hadith, there is an order to give charity from the skins of sacrificial animals, and in this verse, the deserving recipients of charity are described as those who are restricted in the cause of Allah. Among them are students, teachers, and preachers. In the case mentioned in the question, the people referred to can be supported by the skins of sacrificial animals.
Reference: Fatawa Ahl al-Hadith, Volume 2, Page: 106/5
Uses of Sadaqah:
The expenditures of charity are eight, similar to Zakat, where the meat and hides of sacrifice can be given. Allah Almighty says:
﴿إِنَّمَا الصَّدَقَاتُ لِلْفُقَرَاءِ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَالْعَامِلِينَ عَلَيْهَا وَالْمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَفِي الرِّقَابِ وَالْغَارِمِينَ وَفِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ ۖ فَرِيضَةً مِّنَ اللَّهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ﴾
“Charities are only for the poor and the needy, and those employed to collect them, and for bringing hearts together, and for freeing captives, and for those in debt, and in the cause of Allah, and for the wayfarer. This is an ordinance from Allah, and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.”
Reference: Surah At-Tawbah: 60
According to this verse, it is permissible and lawful to spend the charity money on all these expenditures or to spend it on one particular need or necessity. Also, by "in the cause of Allah" is meant Jihad and those engaged in the path of Allah, preachers and teachers, students of religious schools, and people working for the elevation of Islam. Therefore, this is one of the regular expenditures of Zakat, where the meat and hides of sacrifice can be given as charity. However, among the meat and hides of sacrifice, more care should be taken for the poor and needy than other expenditures, because in the distribution of the meat, hides, and skins of sacrifice, the needy are specifically mentioned.
Sayyiduna Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
أن نبي الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أمره أن يقوم على بدنه، وأمره أن يقسم بدنه كلها، لحومها، وجلودها وجلالها فى المساكين
“Indeed, the Prophet (peace be upon him) commanded them to oversee his sacrifices and to distribute all the sacrifices, their meat, hides, and skins among the needy.”
Reference: Sahih Muslim: 1317
